On Saturday, March 28th, for the first edition of the event “Des buts contre le cancer”, the Variety Club de France was in Compiègne, at the Paul Cosyns stadium, for a charity match in support of cancer research.
This was not just any match. Football was being used to support research. The Variety Club de France, known for prestigious matches for over 50 years, made a stop in Compiègne for a solidarity event called “Des buts contre le cancer”. Former French football legends faced off against the French team of researchers from the Gustave Roussy Institute, a team dedicated to fighting the disease.
“We all want our loved ones to heal,” said Estelle Denis, who initiated the event. “Everyone in France has someone in their family affected by cancer, it was my case. It’s a very tough situation. Today, no one wants to experience that. We all want our loved ones to heal, and for that to happen, research needs to progress. The idea is to raise as much funds as possible to help the research and the Gustave Roussy Institute.”
In this town in Oise, which has over 40,000 residents, it was a Saturday unlike any other at the Paul Cosyns stadium, with a capacity of 2,800 seats. After the excitement of the municipal elections, the public turned their attention to the champions, athletes, and researchers who came to bring life to the field. In France, over 430,000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2023, twice as many as in 1990. This increase is mainly due to the aging population and advances in diagnosis. The main causes are related to lifestyle, such as smoking, alcohol, obesity, as well as infections and age. However, nearly 4 out of 10 cases could be avoided through prevention and screening.
Just minutes before kick-off, Raymond Domenech emphasized the significance of the event. “I feel like I’m being useful. Football is a pretext to gather people and raise money for research. We have competent researchers in France, we need to help them stay and work here,” said the former coach.
“This is an important match to raise funds for cancer research,” stressed Frédéric Fiteni, a medical oncologist. “There have been many advances in recent years, but we must continue working to improve patient care. This type of event is essential.”
The objective was to raise 20,000 euros, a modest yet essential amount. However, the total amount raised exceeded expectations, reaching 31,000 euros. “Today, every euro counts. There are no small donations. I often think that if every French person donated one euro, there would be no more cancer in France,” concluded Estelle Denis.
At the end of the match, around 4:40 pm, the rain of goals joined the smiles (5-5). There were no losers, only winners. Players and researchers exchanged, signed autographs, and posed for photos, turning the stadium into a place of hope and connections. This Saturday in Compiègne, football didn’t just score on the field. It touched hearts and solidified the foundation of a battle against cancer that will continue in the coming editions.
